Buyer Beware: Making Gemstones and Diamonds Appear More Valuable

Posted by ricky26 on February 12th, 2014

People who are looking for Majestical jewelry to buy as gifts for a loved one, spouse, or significant other expect that, when they buy a ring, earrings, or necklace with gemstones or diamonds in their settings, they are buying something of true value. As they look at different stones, they may nod in agreement that the stones have true clarity and few inclusions or natural imperfections. Because they are not professional gemologists, they don’t know what they are looking at–that some of those stones may have been enhanced before reaching the showroom floor.

Treating Gemstones
Before you give your credit card to the jeweler, you have to take the time to ask some specific questions. After all, you’re paying your hard-earned money to that jewelry store, believing that the jewelry you’re buying is just as valuable as the fashion jewelry says it is. Hold onto that card until you get your answers.

Jewelers treat or “enhance” gemstones to make them look more beautiful. Look at rubies, for example. Few of them are 100 percent genuine. Instead, a high percentage have been enhanced in some way, making them appear to be more valuable when the imperfections they have should be allowed to show through. While this makes the ruby less valuable, at least you and other consumers are getting what you’re paying for.

Why Gemstones are Treated
Gemstone manufacturers put all sorts of gemstones through enhancement treatments so they can improve their clarity and color.

Compare these treated stones to stones that have been untreated, left in their naturally beautiful state. The second class of stones is extremely rare and command very high prices–somewhere in the 7 digits.

Some Common Treatments
Gemstones are exposed to low or moderate heat to melt inclusions, which are naturally appearing imperfections. These inclusions then melt out, which improves the color and clarity of the stones.

Manufacturers bleach stones to give them a more uniform color or to make them appear lighter. They are also irradiated to change their color.

Rubies undergo routine enhancements, some of which include filling their cracks with tinted lead glass. These fillers are not visible to the naked eye. The danger is that, when exposed to everyday stresses, these treated rubies will chip or break more easily. During cleaning treatments, they may fall apart. The prices of these rubies? Jewelers sell them for thousands of dollars when they may not be worth more than just a couple hundred dollars. Before buying, ask if the ruby was treated, how it was treated and if it contains lead glass.

Clarity Enhanced Diamonds
When you visit a jewelry store and see a diamond referred to as “clarity enhanced,” this means the jeweler has used glass to fill in tiny cracks. This helps to improve its sparkle, clarity, and beauty.

If you hear that this is a part of the cutting and polishing process, leave the store. If the price of such a diamond is similar to a non-enhanced diamond, shop elsewhere.

When it’s time to shop for a fine gemstone, visit here the Majestical website, where you’ll be able to find the best gemstone and diamond jewelry.